Your Luck Is Running Out
Pic courtesy of the fabulous Sabina
“You just came back from Mel and Linz’, Taylor,” Brian was
complaining. “So now you’re telling me Gus wants me to come right over?”
“Well I didn’t exactly say right over, did I?” Justin answered. “What I said was
that Gus wanted to see you real soon to show you something.”
“Is this something that is your fault, Baby?” Brian wanted to know. “It really
sounds like something that is your fault. Yep, I’m sure it’s your fault.”
“Nope,” Justin told him. “Not my fault at all. It’s actually your fault, Brian -
for not taking my advice. I told you yesterday not to get that dollar balloon
for Gus at the dollar store …”
”Well it was a cat and it looked just like Gus’ cat Cicero,” Brian pointed out.
“And I thought it looked neat. And they fill it with helium and all for you …
And anyhow - if you want to get really technical, I did take your advice, Wise
Guy. I did not buy any dollar balloon. It was not a dollar balloon at all. It
was $ 1.25. They still call it a dollar store but …:”
“So inflation has hit the balloon market too, Honey,” Justin laughed. “Get it –
inflation – balloon - that’s a joke, Brian …”
“Well I’m not doing any laughing till I find out what you’ve done over at Gus’”
Brian maintained – while stifling a laugh though. “And I’m not going over there
till I find out just what’s going on either …”
“Just what I told you would be going on, Mr. Know It All and Take No Advice,”
Justin maintained right back at him. “I told you the gas would leak out of that
damn balloon and Gus would be worried that you’d think he didn’t take care of it
and be all upset …”
“So the gas leaked out,” Brian repeated. “So what? Couldn’t you just go out and
get him another balloon?”
“It’d probably cost $ 1.50 with all the inflation in the balloon market, Bri,”
Justin grinned at him. “And it wouldn’t likely help either. The gas would leak
out of the new balloon too - and Gus would be twice as upset …”
“But you solved the problem, didn’t you, Sweetheart,” Brian grinned back at him.
“I bet you did. You solved the problem like you always do – and also – as always
- with no inconvenience to yourself – but somehow now I have to go over…”
“Yep, I solved the problem, Justin admitted. “Just like I always solve the
problems that arise when my sage advice is ignored.”
”And like – you’re eventually gonna tell me just how you solved this particular
problem too?” Brian surmised.
“I certainly am, Sweetheart,” Justin told him. “And right now too. I told Gus
you brought him a magic lucky balloon. It wasn’t filled with gas at all – it was
filled with good luck – and the good luck was supposed to seep out – and it did
seep out - and now Gus has all the good luck you brought him – and that you
wanted him to have - and he wants to show you how well your magic balloon worked
- and maybe thank you too …”
“Geez, JT,” Brian marveled. “I guess I have to admit it - you do turn disasters
into triumphs – every once in a while that is … You wouldn’t want to accompany
me over to see Gus right now, would you?”
“I thought you’d never ask, Brian,” Justin said as he moved suggestively close
to Brian. “Yeah, I’ll be glad to go with you – to Gus’ – to the ends of the
earth – to the moon maybe – anywhere at all …”
“Well let’s go over there - in a couple of hours or so, Baby,” Brian decided.
“You know, I’m feeling like - maybe I’m a little bit lucky myself - having you
around. But I guess I won’t be needing any magic balloon .”
“Probably not, Kinney,” Justin smiled at him. “But just in case you do need some
good luck, I brought you a balloon. Like – just in case. It’s in the bedroom.
And they’re still only $ 1.25 …”
“And worth every penny of it too,” Brian told him as he encircled the kid with
both arms. “Inflation or no inflation.”
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